Thoracic Duct Cyst in Mediastinum - A case report -

A case of a thoracic duct cyst extending from the mediastinum to the cisterna chyli resected using bilateral thoracoscopic surgery in the prone position

BACKGROUND

Thoracic duct cysts are extremely rare mediastinal tumors. We report a case of a thoracic duct cyst extending from the caudal aspect of the left main bronchus to the left renal artery that was safely and completely resected via bilateral thoracoscopic surgery in the prone position.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 77-year-old male was referred to our hospital for follow-up computed tomography (CT) of prostate cancer, which revealed a mediastinal tumor and fatty low-density along the posterior mediastinum of the para-aortic artery with a slightly high-density component. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a T2-weighted image with high intensity. The preoperative radiological diagnosis was lipoma or well-differentiated liposarcoma. CT in the prone position suggested that the tumor could be resected from the thoracic cavity to the caudal side, and bilateral thoracoscopic surgery was performed in the prone position. Based on the surgical findings, the tumor was diagnosed as a thoracic duct cyst rather than a lipoma. Dissection around the thoracic duct cyst was performed using a vessel-sealing system to prevent leakage of the chyle, and reliable clipping was performed to resect the cisterna chyli. Histopathological examination revealed smooth muscle structures around the cyst, suggestive of a thoracic duct cyst. The diagnosis of a thoracic duct cyst was made based on a high triglyceride level of 1310 mg/dL on examination of the milky-white cyst fluid. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged 4 days postoperatively. A CT scan performed 13 months after surgery showed no recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

A rare thoracic duct cyst extending from the mediastinum to the cisterna chyli was safely and completely resected using bilateral thoracoscopic surgery, with the patient in the prone position.

Percutaneous Transhepatic and Translumbar Sclerotherapy of a Thoracic Duct Cyst: A Case Report

A 58-year-old male presented with chronic abdominal pain lasting 5 years and a 15 × 6-cm multicystic thoracic duct cyst with three compartments, located in the right retrocrural and retrocardiac regions from T5/T6 to T12/L1. A transhepatic route was selected to sclerose the middle and lower compartments. Subsequent contrast injection showed minimal contrast passage into the upper compartment through a narrow neck, but the guidewire could not pass into this compartment. The contrast-filled upper compartment was punctured with a 22-g Chiba needle using a translumbar approach under cone-beam computed tomography (CT) guidance and ethanol sclerotherapy was performed. Six-month follow-up CT revealed decreased thoracic duct cyst size (5×3 cm) and no pain. This case illustrates successful percutaneous transhepatic and translumbar sclerotherapy for retrocardiac and retrocrural thoracic duct cysts, which are very difficult to remove surgically.

Robotic resection of a thoracic duct cyst

A 69-year-old male presented with back tightness. Computed tomography revealed a 5 cm × 3 cm cystic para-oesophageal mass. A right robotic-assisted thoracoscopic resection was performed. Final pathology revealed a thoracic duct cyst (TDC). Robotic resection of a TDC has not been described in the literature previously but is shown in this report to be an effective and efficient way to perform the procedure. We suspect that robotic resection of mediastinal masses such as TDCs will become more common. Further studies comparing robotic to non-robotic resection of mediastinal masses would be helpful to determine the preferred treatment while minimising morbidity, length of stay and cost.

Thoracic duct cyst of posterior mediastinum: a "challenging" differential diagnosis

Thoracic duct cysts of the mediastinum are extremely rare entities and their pathogenesis still remains unknown. Imaging methods are not specific and show a cystic mass, however the real nature of the lesion is confirmed only with the help of histopathological examination after surgical excision. Here, we present a case of thoracic cyst in a 28-year-old female, lining in posterior lower mediastinum. The cyst was removed by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and the histopathological findings were that of thoracic duct cyst. Through this case, we propose an ideal surgical approach and diagnostic procedure.

Aberrent Thoracic Duct Cyst in Postrior Mediastinum

Thoracic duct cysts in the upper portion of the diaphragm are mostly found in the neck and are rarely found in the mediastinum. Thoracic duct cysts should be differentiated from other mediastinal tumors or cysts, and surgical treatment is required to avoid the development of chylothorax if the cyst ruptures. Herein, we report the case of a patient with a thoracic cyst located just above the diaphragm that was treated with surgical resection.

A Giant Thoracic Duct Cyst as the Cause of Abdomen Pain: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Thoracic duct cysts, which may be of congenital or degenerative origin, are very rare lesions. Most patients are asymptomatic, but when symptoms are present they include cough, dyspnea, dysphagia and chest pain. However, in this case report a 35-year-old male patient presented to us with intermittent abdomen pain. Clinical symptoms and radiographic findings helped to identify a giant thoracic duct cyst in this patient. Surgical resection of the cyst resolved the abdominal symptoms. This was the first case reported in the literature of a thoracic duct cyst with the symptoms of abdominal pain.

Surgical resection of thoracic duct lymphangioma

A 67-year-old male patient came to the hospital due to lung cancer and mediastinal cystic mass which was suspected to be esophageal duplication cyst. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was performed and intra-operative finding suggested it as a cystic mass along the thoracic duct. Thoracic duct was ligated and the cyst was completely resected. A 48-year-old female patient visited the hospital for dysphagia. Mediastinal cystic mass was suspected to be an esophageal duplication cyst. Intraoperative finding suggest a thoracic duct lymphangioma. After thoracic duct ligation, the mass was completely resected with VATS. Postoperative chylothorax did not develop in both cases.